India’s T20I captain Shreyas Iyer downplayed the growing clamour for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s international debut on the eve of the opening T20I against England in Durham, insisting he was not tracking any of the noise surrounding the 15-year-old ahead of the five-match series.
The clamour has only grown since Sooryavanshi missed out on a debut in both matches of India’s 2-0 T20I series defeat to Ireland in Belfast last week, despite a stunning IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals in which he scored 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30 to win the Orange Cap. Several former players publicly backed the teenager’s inclusion after the Ireland loss, but the youngster remains in India’s squad without a confirmed spot in the XI for the series opener at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday, July 1.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the opener, Iyer was asked directly how difficult it had become to manage the constant talk around Sooryavanshi.
“I am not seeing anything, really don’t, neither following any news outlets nor any form of social media, not hearing anything,” Iyer said as quoted by NDTV Sports.
Why isn’t Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in India’s playing XI yet?
India have stuck with their World Cup-winning top order of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan through the Ireland series, even as the trio struggled to fire in Belfast. Iyer stressed that his squad calls would continue to be driven by current form rather than outside pressure.
“Every individual playing in the team has performed. It’s not just one individual who has done it,” Iyer added, ruling nothing in or out for the Durham opener.
India’s five-match series against England runs from Wednesday, July 1, at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street through to Saturday, July 11, at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, with stops at Old Trafford, Trent Bridge and Bristol in between. Sooryavanshi, who would become India’s youngest-ever international cricketer if picked, remains part of the touring squad for the full series.
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